Secondly, while it is true that America is one of Israel’s few old allies, and that Israel could not survive without America’s support (eg, military, and perhaps economically, too), Israel is not a banana republic state of the US, nor the 51st state, and has the right to pursue what is important for itself in terms of political, moral, and physical survival. Nor did the US approve the last Lebanon war, but it was carried out regardless. Nor did the US approve the West Bank wall, but it has helped Israel curb suicide bombings and other terrorist activites.

So Clinton’s anger - while comprehensible from an American perspective - should not be translated to demands that Israel must fill out. Just as true friends can say hard things to each other (eg, US to Israel), so do true friends must accept each other’s decisions and actions (Israel’s by the US).

Further, since the rise of Obama, there have been growing hard-line attitudes towards Israel by the US, but not necessarily worser attitudes by Israel towards the Palestinians. Since the Palestinians have no leadership (or one that nobody listens to), America can place no demands on their side - only on the Israeli side. This must be contested.

Abbas is driven between two conflicting issues: (1) there is no doubt the elimination of Israel is his top priority; however, (2) he has been quoted as saying he is in no hurry to get the IDF out of the West Bank, because only they can keep Hamas from taking over.

In fact, Israel has made major progress in the economy of the West Bank, with Israelis and the government providing planning and agricultural support to the West Bank Arabs.

Many Arabs are buying housing in West Jerusalem, but no one seems concerned. The boundaries of the Jordanian occupation have no legal status, and one would think that Jews should have the same right to live in a territory governed by Arabs as Arabs have to live in Israel. Calling Israel an apartheid state is beyond ridiculous. Israel is the least apartheid nation in the whole damned Islamic world. In which Islamic nation does a Jew serve in the legislature, or serve the country as an ambassador to a foreign nation?

While I greatly value the relationship Israel maintains with the US, I disagree that Israel could not survive and prosper without US support. Israeli science and technology is vital to the US, and the preponderance of the $3B or so received from the US goes back to the US.

I remember seeing a large sign in the ocean just off the Tel Aviv shore many years ago. It read “Sleep well, President Reagan, Israel is behind you.”

Think positive, and let’s not be giving away the store.

This Administration’s colder behavior toward Israel notwithstanding, the United States is Israel’s closest and most important ally. Further, the State of Israel would not exist without the continued support and genuine friendship of the U.S. Although Israel is a formidable regional military and economic power, it is unlikely that Israel, in the long term, could stand alone without the U.S.

As for Mr. Yishai’s announcement, what can I say? It was a ridiculous, ill advised and, ultimately, harmful move that has negatively affected U.S./Israel bilateral relations. In a word, the announcement was just plain boneheaded.

Mind you, I have no issue with the building of new residential dwellings in Jerusalem…none. Jerusalem is the capitol of Israel and should remain so. There is no question. Jerusalem should also never be divided or cease to be under the sovereignty of the State of Israel. History has shown us in black and white terms that Israeli sovereignty of Jerusalem, with access to religious sights, rule of law and guaranteed protections, is much better for all concerned.

Mr. Yishai’s move embarrassed and, rightly, angered the U.S. Mr. Bandler is also correct that members of the Israeli government, particularly Mr. Yishai, should consider discipline. I will add that members of the Israeli government should also consider the bigger picture. One does not embarrass the vice president of one’s most important ally while on an official visit.

This at a time that Bibi is actually trying to do something about the settlements (hence the Shas announcement). The Administration’s gross incompetence (does no-one in the White House even realize how the Israeli government works?) pretty much guarantees that the peace process on which we bank quite heavily is dead and buried.

And all because Biden, instead of having a few quiet words about Yishai and then ignoring him decided to say he is doesn’t like the religious on the floor of the Knesset. Of course it is entirely possible that Biden had no idea that he was talking about housing that was being built for the religious to “even out” housing that had been built for the secular. If so, he is even more incompetent than I thought.

Regards,

Inna

So Yishai (who represents the ultra-religious) made a statement about housing being built for the ultra-religious. Why? Because the Shas party is none too thrilled with Bibi who actually is not all that conservative when it comes to settlements and he’s very modern (i.e. non-religious). Bibi heard about the statement on TV.

The appropriate response would have been for Biden to have a behind closed door meeting with the powers that be and ask if they can put a lid on the Shas guy. But that’s not what happened. Biden had a sissy fit in the Knesset; the White House trotted out Axelrod (who remembered he was Jewish during the election) to berate Israel and on and on it went. With no-one in the Administration seemingly realizing that they just landed with both feet in the middle of an internal secular vs religious Israeli dispute and that, thanks to US heavy-handedness, it is highly unlikely anyone will be coming to any table within my lifetime.

Especially since, elsewhere in the Middle East (to quote from WSJ) healthy relations” between Iran and Syria, mildly rebuked Syrian President Bashar Assad for accusing the U.S. of “colonialism,” and publicly apologized to Moammar Gadhafi for treating him with less than appropriate deference after the Libyan called for “a jihad” against Switzerland.

And you know, I notice that France is in the Israeli press a lot. It might be worth remembering that when Israel was born it was France, not the US that was Israel’s best friend…

None of these developments are good for the US. We have lost a lot credibility; we will not be able to bring Israelis to any table; the peace process (which we use as a bargaining chip with all sorts of actors) is dead and buried; and there is at least one Jewish philanthropy donating to the Republicans in my home state–for the first time EVER. So health care may be dead too and if not health care then other pieces of Obama’s agenda because not only do the Dems need Jewish voted but they need Jewish financial support in what promises to be a VERY difficult mid-term election for the Democratic party.

And all this could have (should have) been avoided. What total incompetence on the Administration’s part. It’s like they’re trying to make up for doing a reasonably good job at home by completely tripping all over themselves abroad. Because frankly when it comes to foreign affairs, they leave MUCH to be desired. It started with them paying out bonuses to Europeans and got worse.

Regards,

Inna

Readers of this blog know me as a supporter of Israel. But I have yo ask: how does your language help Israel? Why should the Palestinians have to “beg” for a state? Dont you see how this kind of language — like the tonedeaf rhetoric of the current Israeli government — only works to alienate world opinion and alienate friends?!
L